The present invention relates generally to fans and more particularly to window fans.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,399, there is disclosed an electric fan assembly for household use convertible between use in a window and use on a desk or floor. The fan assembly includes a substantially rectangular, one-piece, molded polypropylene support member formed from a first support panel, a second support panel, and a pair of living hinges connecting the first and second panels to one another along a pivot axis perpendicular to the top and bottom edges of the support member. The first support panel is constructed to provide a mounting for an electric fan motor, a venturi ring assembly including an intake grill and an exhaust grill. In use, the two support panels may lie flat for use in a window or may be pivoted about the axis of the living hinges for use on a deck or floor. Extenders are provided for extending the effective width of said fan assembly for use in relatively wide windows and includes secondary extender plates connected to the extenders by lost motion for increasing the length of extension obtainable. The exhaust grill is optionally mounted for rotation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,151, there is disclosed a fan which can be mounted in a window opening without using any tools, mounting hardware or special brackets or which can be used as floor fan. The fan includes a pair of panel sections which are Interconnected by a pair of hinge joints for pivotal movement relative to each other from a fully open position to a folded position. One of the hinge joints includes a mechanism for automatically snap-locking the two panel sections when they are at the fully open position at an angle of about 120 degrees. A pair of adjustable and lockable side extensions are provided, one attached to and extending out from each panel section. A fan unit which includes a motor driven fan is pivotally attached to the panel sections for rotational movement relative thereto.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,151, there is disclosed an electric fan which can serve as a table fan, a circulator, a wall fan or a window fan. The fan comprises a motor to retain and drive vanes, an annular main body to retain the motor and to serve as an air flow passage of the fan, a pair of pivots which are provided on the main body, have their axes on a phantom straight line substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the vanes and are symmetrical with respect to said axis of rotation, and a pair of support plates which are rotatably connected with each other and with the main body by means of the pivots, the support plates being of a shape which surrounds the main body and does not hinder the movement of the main body on the pivots.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,318, there is disclosed a fan which can be used either as a floor fan or a window fan. The fan includes an open frame having a motor driven fan connected to the rear portion thereof, a pair of protruding pins on the frame front portion which engage the window on the outside thereof, and a second pair of protruding pins on the frame front portion which engage the window frame on the inside thereof. The motor driven fan is suspended in this manner inwardly away from the window opening such that the cantilever effect produced thereby pulls the first pins inwardly against the window and pushes the second pins outwardly against the window frame. The frame of the fan diverges slightly in the vertical direction so that that it is, in effect, wedged into the window opening and makes it more difficult to remove accidentally and strengthens the frame. The unit is easily adapted for use with a horizontally sliding window by attaching a pair of removable laterally extending brackets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,857,095, there is disclosed an all-purpose fan embodying in combination an air flow generating unit comprising a motor with coaxial shaft and rotary air impeller, a skeletonized framework united with and supporting said unit, an outer bail straddling said framework and pivotally connected thereto to swing about an axis of tilt disposed crosswise the axis of rotation of said air impeller, a swingable inner ball also straddling said framework and pivotally connected thereto and also pivotally connected to said outer bail in a manner to be swingable toward and away from planar alignment therewith, detent devices operatively relating one of said bails to said framework in a manner releasably to retain the same in various relative angular positions to which said bail and framework may be swung, stop means so operatively relating said bails as to limit the degree of divergence thereof from said approximately planar alignment, and at least one hinge lug fixed on a portion of said outer bail relatively remote from said framework and having means of pivotal mounting offset from said outer bail.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,002, there is disclosed a fan structure having a pair of fan units which can either be mounted in an opening in a window in vertical tandem relationship or in horizontal tandem relationship or used separately as floor fans. When mounted in a window opening with the fan units in horizontal tandem relationship, the fan is secured in position by clamping engagement of the fan housing with the lower edge of the window and the window sill. When mounted in vertical tandem relationship, the fan is secured in position by brackets which are screwed into the window frame.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,495, there is disclosed a window ventilator which comprises an upright shield having an aperture therein, supporting structure extending outwardly from said shield below said aperture, a fan structure including a propeller guard, a fan motor secured to said guard, and a propeller carried within said guard and rotatable by said motor, said fan structure being positioned substantially in line with said aperture, means on and supported by said transparent shield providing rotary bearing means, and cooperating rotary bearing means on said fan structure for pivotally mounting said fan structure at a predetermined distance from said shield, said fan structure being pivotal about said pivotal mounting means to direct an air stream in any of a plurality of predetermined directions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,663, there is disclosed a variable-width window fan assembly which comprises a window fan and driving motor together with a supporting frame which will usually but not necessarily consist of a housing or casing about the fan and motor, together with one or more horizontally adjustable, normally vertically disposed panel or wing elements slidably connected to the frame, and a simplified two-link toggle mechanism the elements of which are operatively connected to the one or more adjustable wings, and with which is provided a simple form of clamping means for maintaining the links or arms of the toggle assembly, in centered or aligned relation following the desired width adjustment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,040, there is disclosed a fan which is adapted to be mounted within the space normally occupied by the lower sash of an ordinary two sash window. The fan includes a rigid rectangular frame which is fixed in size and shape. In use, the frame is seated on the sill of the window and then anchored to the casing of the window by a pair of tie rods, the tie rods being hooked on to the frame of the fan and being secured by screws to the casing of the window.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,019,718, 2,805,820, and 2,787,207 and Australian Patent No. 235,520.